The Route Switch Processor 16 (RSP16) is the newest and highest-performance main system processor for the Cisco 7500 Series Router. The RSP16 supports up to 1 GB of program memory, allowing customers to significantly increase their route tables. The RSP16 provides significant performance enhancements, increasing switching performance by 20 percent and 55 percent compared the RSP8 and RSP4+,respectively. The RSP16 combines all of the routing and high-speed switching functions for the Cisco 7500 series router. In addition to running the system software, the RSP16 contains and executes the following management functions that control the system:

Sending and receiving routing protocol updates

Managing tables and caches

Monitoring interface and environmental status

Providing Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) management and the interface between the console and Telnet

The high-speed switching section of the RSP16 communicates with and controls the interface processors on the Cisco 7500's internal high-speed buses. This switching section determines the destination of a packet, and switches it based on that decision.